Unit
1‐
Pythagoras
Theorem


and
Real
Numbers

 c

a


b


In
a
right
angled
triangle,
a
and
b
are
called
the
legs


The
hypotenuse,
c,
is

always
the
side
across
from

the
right
angle

If
we
know

any
two
side
lengths
we
can
find
the
third

using
Pythagoras’
Theorem.



If
I’m
looking
for
the
length
of
the
hypotenuse
and
I

have
the
lengths
of
the
two
legs

Square
the
lengths
of
each
leg
and
add
them
together

I’m
looking
for
the
length
of
a
leg
and
I
have

the
length
of
the
hypotenuse
and
one
leg.

Square
the
length
of
the
hypotenuse
and
subtract

the
square
of
the
remaining
leg


a2=c2‐b2
 b2=c2‐a2

eg
1.
This
is
the
roof
of
Mr
Harvey’s
shed.

Found
out
how
long
the
base
is
in
m.

a2 + b2 = c 2
c 2 = a2 + b2
a=4
m
 b=3
m
 c 2 = (4cm) 2 + (3cm) 2
c 2 = 16cm + 9cm
c 2 = 25cm 2
c

c 2 = ± 25cm 2
c = ±5cm

The
base
of
Mr.
Harvey’s
shed
is
5
m
long.

€
eg
2.
This
is
a
giant’s
nose.
What
is
its
height
in
cm?

a2 + b2 = c 2
2
2 2 2 2
a +b −b =c −b
c=13
cm

a2 = c 2 − b2
a
 a 2 = (26cm) 2 − (24cm) 2
a 2 = 676cm 2 − 576cm 2
b=12
cm
 a 2 = 100cm 2
a 2 = ± 100cm 2
a = ±10cm

The
giant’s
nose
is
10
cm
long.

€
Finish
these
before
the
end
of
class.


1)
A
leg
is
5
cm,
the
other
leg
is
10
cm.
Find
the
length
of
the


hypotenuse
(one
decimal
place).

2)
The
hypotenuse
is
10
cm
and
a
leg
is
8
cm.
Find
the


length
of
the
missing
leg.

3)
Determine
the
length
of
a.


45
cm

a


36
cm

 SoluVons


1)

 2)
 3)


2
c =a +b2 2
a2 = c 2 − b2 a2 = c 2 − b2
c 2 = (5cm) 2 + (10cm) 2 a 2 = (10cm) 2 − (8cm) 2 a 2 = (45cm) 2 − (36cm) 2
c 2 = 25cm 2 + 100cm 2 a 2 = 100cm 2 − 64cm 2 a 2 = 2025cm 2 −1296cm 2
c 2 = 125cm 2 a 2 = 36cm
€
2
a 2 = cm 2
c 2 = ± 125cm 2 a 2 = ± 36cm 2 a 2 = ± 729cm 2
c ≈ ±11.2 a = ±6 cm a = ±27 cm

€ €